Possible-Health-Benefits-of-Deep-Breathing

Possible-Health-Benefits-of-Deep-Breathing. 

Inhaling and exhaling deeply can help quell stress, which may mitigate symptoms of various chronic diseases.Jennifer Brister/Stocksy

When it comes to improving our health, many of us focus on areas we can easily quantify and track, such as how many carbs or calories we consume or how many times we exercise each week. Although it may be harder to measure, reducing and managing stress is a key component of staying healthy. Chronic stress has been linked to heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, and anxiety, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.right up arrow

Managing that stress is easier said than done, but there is evidence to suggest that deep breathing can be an effective intervention to help improve many chronic health conditions, says Yufang Lin, MD, an internal medicine doctor at the Center for Integrative Medicine at Cleveland Clinic Health System in Ohio.

It’s important to note that breathing exercises are a complementary therapy, says Dr. Lin. “Deep breathing should not replace any of the other medicines or interventions that your doctor recommends,” she says. Put differently, deep breathing is not an alternative therapy.

There’s a lot to recommend deep breathing as a complementary therapy, says Baxter Bell, MD, a former family doctor who now teaches yoga and practices medical acupuncture.

“There really aren’t any side effects, and breath exercises can be accessed any time of the day. It’s very empowering to be able to use breathing to help reduce stress and improve focus,” he says.